BlowMax blowout rips hole in floor

[danemayer]

Folks, I have some thoughts about warranties, extended warranties, road service policies, etc.

First, before you buy it's a very good idea to read the policy. You'll probably have to ask for a copy because websites typically just hit the highlights. Look at what's covered. Look at what's excluded. Read slowly and think about what they're saying.

Trailer manufacturers, like auto manufacturers, do not warrant the tires. The tire companies provide the tire warranty. Most tire warranties are not worth too much as at best they pro-rate based on wear and possibly age. I don't think there is any tire warranty that covers consequential damages, such as body damage from the steel belts whipping against the trailer. Goodyear, on selected trailer tires including the G614 and G114 (but probably not Marathon), has a policy that reimburses cost of body repairs, but it is not something included in the warranty and they can change their policy at any time.

Extended warranties generally cover factory defects that surface after the factory warranty has expired. They generally do not cover consequential damage from a tire blowout. If the extended warranty includes road service for tire problems, it may be limited to mounting your spare tire. Standalone Road Service policies vary in coverage. Good Sam Roadside Assistance will locate a service truck who can bring a replacement tire (or tires) and mount them on the rims for you. But you get to pay for the tire(s) and service.

Some roadside assistance policies include towing both truck and trailer when necessary. Others may not. Even so, if your 16,000 lb trailer is not in a condition where it can be towed, they may not be able to help. For example, if your axle fails, or the suspension components break, they may only be able to send a mobile servicer. The travel charge may be covered by the policy. Repair cost probably won't be covered. Read the policy details to see what you're buying.

Collision and Comprehensive coverage on your trailer insurance will probably pay for the body damage caused by a tire blowout. But you'll have to pay the deductible.

Trip interruption coverage may only kick in if you're in a collision. There may be other limitations.

So if you have an extended warranty that promises only to mount your spare tire, you really don't have grounds to complain that they let you down by not towing your rig or replacing two blown tires.

Get tires that have a good reputation. For 15-16,000 lb rigs, Sailun S637 or Goodyear G614 both have a good reputation. On 16,000 lb rigs, some of us have stepped up to 17.5" wheels with Goodyear G114 tires to get additional margin.

Get a good Roadside Assistance policy that meets your needs.

And keep in mind that all any of them can do is locate a servicer or tow truck. And not everyone wants to work on holiday weekends, so response time may vary.

 

[danemayer]

The REALLY interesting thread would be one that praisesd TowMax tires - I'm betting it would be an extremely short discussion.

You know, we lament this farcical (and dangerous situation). It happens again and again. We show pictures and wonder why the government doesn't do something. We hear about how we should write in and send tires to Washington. We are told that "hey, it's not Heartland's fault - they didn't make the tire and they don't warranty it".

My peronal opinion - that's all nonsense. The industry (Heartland and every other manufacturer who has used and worse, continues to use, these lousy skins) knows very well what is going on but they are doing NOTHING. I don't buy into the idea that they don't read these forums and that every customer who has had one of these failures doesn't call in. If it happened to me, that would be my first call. It's all because of money and liability I'm sure, but in my opinion, there is absolutely no excuse for not stepping up and proactively replacing these things and I don't care who made the tires - there should be a factory recall. As an example, Takata made millions of faulty airbags, but Ford, Honda, Toyota, et al issued the recalls. As far as I know, it's only been property damage that's resulted from these TowMax failures - what happens if something worse transpires?

This note probably won't change anyone's mind, but hey ... you never know. Maybe an executive level person at Heartland will read it and take it into consideration. I don't have a horse in this race - I have Sailun's, but I do feel for my fellow RVer's who have suffered with this problem and continue to be at risk. Whatever happens, I wish you all luck and safe travels.

You're a bit late to the discussion. Blowout reports have been posted for quite a few years. In 2011, there were lots of discussions about tire failures. Towmax came later. On Heartland products, most Towmax problems were on larger coaches. Heartland heard the complaints and switched tires on large coaches a couple of years ago. We used to see posts almost daily about Towmax failures that had just happened. Now it's pretty intermittent and usually on an older coach. Then of course everyone who has had a failure retells their story in the new thread.

So Heartland has listened and acted. But there are still Towmax tires out there, and as they age, they aren't getting better. If you have them, time to change.

As for recalls, they are ordered by NHTSA when an investigation reveals a problem. The reality is that tire companies, rubber manufacturers, NHTSA, and independent experts all pretty much agree that the vast majority of tire failures are caused by trailers that are overloaded, driving too fast, underinflated tires, or hitting curbs/other hazards. And given that insurance companies don't bother trying to recover when they pay for damages, it must be pretty hard to argue that there's a tire defect.

So it may not matter what you or I think the government ought to do. They have criteria that guides them as to when an investigation is needed. On Towmax, either the criteria haven't been met, or they investigated and didn't find a factory defect. So no recall to date.

 

[TravelTiger]

I haven't heard of anyone dying or even causing an accident due to a TowMax tire failure, so it seems this is no considered something of recall urgency, either.

Can you imagine what would happen financially to them if Heartland voluntarily recalled all the TowMax tires still on rigs since 2009?

Then what would happen to all the OTHER manufacturers that put TowMax on their trailers? Would they be forced to do the same, by consumer pressure?

I don't know how many RV manufacturers can afford to do that and still stay in business.

I read almost daily on RV business and RV Pro magazine of recalls by manufacturers for REAL hazards, like rubbing gas lines, or wheels not torqued correctly, or wrong axles on rigs, or incorrect weight limit labels that would lead to overloading, or that sort of thing.


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[Lynn1130]

I did not read all of this thread so forgive me if I repeat something here.

Think about this. I was returning from Kansas this April. I was not towing so I was moving along at around 75. I was passed by two trailer haulers with Indiana plates and business names on their trucks. They were hauling new trailers with temporary plates. These guys get paid by the job so 65 mph is a speed they pass getting to 80 or so. How many trailers get to the dealer's lot after having been pulled on 65 mph tires for several thousand mile at 75+ and on top of that did they ever check the tire pressure during that trip? Then they sit on the dealer's lot for several months, or more, in the sun, without moving before you buy it. Any chance of a blowout when you take it for a trip?

Knowing then, what I know now, I would have had the tires changed when I bought my trailer. Mine got pulled back and forth from Tucson to Glendale for the large weekend sales and in between it sat on the lot in Tucson for months before being sold.

 

[BigGuy82]

I haven't heard of anyone dying or even causing an accident due to a TowMax tire failure, so it seems this is no considered something of recall urgency, either.

Can you imagine what would happen financially to them if Heartland voluntarily recalled all the TowMax tires still on rigs since 2009?

Then what would happen to all the OTHER manufacturers that put TowMax on their trailers? Would they be forced to do the same, by consumer pressure?

I don't know how many RV manufacturers can afford to do that and still stay in business.

I read almost daily on RV business and RV Pro magazine of recalls by manufacturers for REAL hazards, like rubbing gas lines, or wheels not torqued correctly, or wrong axles on rigs, or incorrect weight limit labels that would lead to overloading, or that sort of thing.


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This issue has been discussed ad nauseum, so just like you, I've heard all of the arguments. Normally, I let these circular arguments go, but I feel very strongly about this one because years ago, I was the victim of an RV lemon nightmare and it cost me thousands. It was due strictly to a bad product that the manufacturer chose to ignore. I guess that makes me a "crusader" of sorts, because when something isn't right, I choose to say it.

If these tires exploding aren't a "REAL" hazard, I don't know what is. In fact, I'm surprised that you regard wheel nut torque as a hazard but not exploding tires.

Regarding cost, you are aware that most RV manufacturers are huge conglomerates? Examples:

Forest River - Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet) - (market cap - $408.75 billion)
Thor Industries - Airstream, Bison, Crossroads, Cruiser, DRV, Dutchman,Entegra, Heartland, Highland Ridge, Jayco, Keystone, K-Z, Livin' Lite, Redwood, Starcraft, Thor Motorcoach, Venture RV (market cap. = $4.81 billion)

And these are just two. Point being that these are not mom and pop businesses hanging on by a thread. They are publicly traded, major corporations with big profits, so to answer your question, I don't think replacing a hugely defective component would hurt them very much, especially at what they likely pay for a lousy tire. There are many RV manufacturers who cannot only afford to do it - they can do it wiithout missing a beat.

As it is now, some poor working shmoe spends his hard earned bucks and takes his family on a "dream" vacation that is destroyed by a lousy product. To add insult to injury, he gets to eat all associated costs (new tires, lost time, insurance increases, rapairs, hotels - whatever), not to mention the lost "dream vacation". Accidents happen, but if you'll forgive my incorrect usage - these ain't no "accidents".

This forum can argue the TowMax issue until the cows come home. From my viewpoint as a consumer, a businessman (well, retired businessman), an RVer and a person, this issue stinks to high heaven and has been totally ignored by the industry. I may not have a horse in this race, but I do have my personal sense of fairness.

Hope no offense is taken - none intended.

 

[TravelTiger]

This issue has been discussed ad nauseum, so just like you, I've heard all of the arguments. Normally, I let these circular arguments go, but I feel very strongly about this one because years ago, I was the victim of an RV lemon nightmare and it cost me thousands. It was due strictly to a bad product that the manufacturer chose to ignore. I guess that makes me a "crusader" of sorts, because when something isn't right, I choose to say it.

If these tires exploding aren't a "REAL" hazard, I don't know what is. In fact, I'm surprised that you regard wheel nut torque as a hazard but not exploding tires.

Regarding cost, you are aware that most RV manufacturers are huge conglomerates? Examples:

Forest River - Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet) - (market cap - $408.75 billion)
Thor Industries - Airstream, Bison, Crossroads, Cruiser, DRV, Dutchman,Entegra, Heartland, Highland Ridge, Jayco, Keystone, K-Z, Livin' Lite, Redwood, Starcraft, Thor Motorcoach, Venture RV (market cap. = $4.81 billion)

And these are just two. Point being that these are not mom and pop businesses hanging on by a thread. They are publicly traded, major corporations with big profits, so to answer your question, I don't think replacing a hugely defective component would hurt them very much, especially at what they likely pay for a lousy tire. There are many RV manufacturers who cannot only afford to do it - they can do it wiithout missing a beat.

As it is now, some poor working shmoe spends his hard earned bucks and takes his family on a "dream" vacation that is destroyed by a lousy product. To add insult to injury, he gets to eat all associated costs (new tires, lost time, insurance increases, rapairs, hotels - whatever), not to mention the lost "dream vacation". Accidents happen, but if you'll forgive my incorrect usage - these ain't no "accidents".

This forum can argue the TowMax issue until the cows come home. From my viewpoint as a consumer, a businessman (well, retired businessman), an RVer and a person, this issue stinks to high heaven and has been totally ignored by the industry. I may not have a horse in this race, but I do have my personal sense of fairness.

Hope no offense is taken - none intended.

I never said the TowMax blowouts were not a hazard. Trust me, we avoided the TowMax blowouts only because of diligent observation of our tires, thanks to the "warnings" of this forum.

I just don't know if they are truly a recallable hazard, when there are so many other contributing factors to cause a blowout, that are NOT the fault of the tire manufacturer. (As mentioned, towing over the speed rating, under-inflation, overloaded, damage due to impacts, road hazards, etc.)

Don't get me wrong, I think they are trash. I just think the tire manufacturer should be the target.

Maybe there should be a tire upgrade option for every new trailer? Then you have the choice to make sure you are getting quality tires.




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